IOC and PyeongChang Dismiss Korean Political Crisis

(ATR) IOC and PyeongChang 2018 officials tell Around the Rings relations with South Korea’s executive continue as normal amid the ongoing political crisis.

President Geun Hye Park, and other top members of the government are implicated in a far-reaching influence peddling scandal that includes links to the 2018 Winter Games. Park was impeached last month by the South Korean legislature and now faces trial by a constitutional court. If she is removed from office new elections must take place within 60 days.

The influence peddling scandal is centered on Park’s confidant Soon Sil Choi. Choi is the daughter of a shamanic figure in Korea, and is charged with receiving classified documents from Park and leveraging her influence to receive monetary benefits from South Korea’s largest companies.

The scandal has reportedly included advertising deals for PyeongChang 2018 done for the purpose of funneling money to Choi’s family, and other benefits from the country’s largest company Samsung. Korean investigators have questioned Samsung Group head Jay Lee as part of the scandal. According to reports from South Korea, investigators are questioning Lee to see if a merger between two Samsung Group entities were approved because of a donation made to Choi’s foundation.

PyeongChang 2018 is the second straight Olympic Games stricken by political crisis just over a year out from its start.

"The situation in PyeongChang is the same as in previous editions of the Games and there has been no change in the working relationship with either [the organizing committee] or the Government," an IOC spokesperson told ATR. "Generally, the IOC works with the different levels of Government in Games host cities through the Games Organizing Committee – this collaboration touches multiple levels and areas of Government."

A PyeongChang organizing committee spokesperson told ATR that the organizing committee maintains regular contact with the Office of the Senior Secretary to the President for Education and Culture in Korea’s Blue House. Even with a fluid political situation, the spokesperson said the relationship between POCOG and the Blue House "has been nothing but positive."

"The organizing committee acknowledges the importance to include governmental organizations, such as Gangwon Province and Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism throughout the preparation process," the spokesperson said. "Moreover, working relations among staff in POCOG, Blue House, and all relevant stockholders are consistent."

Korean journalist Sujin Chun told ATR, previously, that PyeongChang organizers must deal with the fallout of being connected to the influence peddling scandal. As a result the reputation of the Games has taken a hit, even as new leadership has distanced itself from the connections. Still, organizing the Games remains of national importance, so having national government support remains vital.

For 2017 the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has budgeted $608.6 million to finance construction for PyeongChang 2018. The figure represents a 55.1 percent decrease from the 2016 budget according to a PyeongChang spokesperson because "construction projects are at their final stretch."

"PyeongChang 2018 is a meaningful event for Koreans as 2018 will mark the 30 year anniversary of the first Olympic and Paralympic Games ever to be held in Korea," the spokesperson added. "Therefore, the entire nation, from the general public to government officials, is behind PyeongChang and motivated to host one of the world’s biggest sporting events in the Republic of Korea."

Former sports minister of Brazil Ricardo Leyser, who had been in the ministry since before the 2007 Pan American Games, told ATR it is "impossible to organize the Olympic Games" without productive cooperation with government partners.

Leyser was appointed minister in the final months of the 2015-16 political crisis before being replaced when Michel Temer assumed the Brazilian presidency. He oversaw government coordination for the Games, and continued to work with the Rio Municipal Olympic Authority during the final few months of preparations. Leyser said the Brazilian political crisis "affected the capacity of the government" to aid the organizing committee during problems arising in the final months of preparations.

"Key points like the cost of the venues and facilities, the legacy for sport, for the city and for the country, the general concept of the master plan of the games and others, must be aligned," Leyser said. "If the major questions are not under the same understanding it is almost impossible to go forward in the preparation of the games.

"When the political crisis became serious, almost all major questions related to the federal government responsibilities were addressed. Some points are affected, [such as] the delay to approve some measures in the Congress, and a big difficulty to promote the games and the country abroad."

Written by Aaron Bauer

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